Rochester, N.Y.- Southwest Airlines, which starts service from the Rochester International Airport in April 2013, is launching a new direct flight to Chicago’s Midway Airport.
In a statement Monday Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks said, “Chicago Midway is one of Southwest’s largest hubs, providing a wide array of travel options to destinations on the west coast. With its larger planes, no change fees, and ‘Bags Fly Free’ policy, Southwest is doing even more to make our airport Monroe County’s ‘Gateway to the world.’”
Rochester will retain two daily non-stop flights to Southwest’s hub at Baltimore/Washington International Airport as well as service to Orlando and Tampa.
Southwest bought Airtran Airways and earlier this year announced plans to keep operations in Rochester. The conversion will be finished in April.
Eighteen percent of passengers flying out of Rochester use AirTran.
